It would be great if it created mismatches, but it doesn't. I mean KD is still being guarded by the 3 all the time and the PF just sticks around Royal Ivey (not the scariest of offensive players).

On the defensive end, however, KD can't really handle the PFs, he does a nice job, but a guy like Ibaka can shut a PF down. It seems like a lose-lose situation on both ends

Tonight against the Cavs I feel the Thunder could've won it if they had Ibaka on the floor in the place of Ivey, Ibaka was having a terrific game and Scott Brooks didn't give him a minute in the 4th quater, why's that?

Especially around this time of the year, I think Coaches play players as trade bait. Ibaka is a stud and should play a lot of minutes. Though Collison is also really good, so there isn't much drop off when he comes in. Though Collison doesn't contribute in ways that are statistically very dramatic.

I'm a huge fan of Collison, but it isn't Collison who is eating up Ibaka's minutes, I mean the game usually ends with the line up of:

Westbrook-Ivey-Harden-Durant-Perkins

I just don't see how that is the best possible line up.

On a side note, Cook might be one of the worst passing SG in the NBA. He's actually athletic, a good defender and is a great shooter, but he doesn't do anything except for shooting, I understand that this is his role, but that doesn't mean he should be shooting fadeaway threes when someone else is open.

Brooks' smallball lineup has actually worked most of the year and has won them several games down the stretch.

And Thabo's timetable keeps changing. They keep saying he will play later in the week, but they've been saying that for like 3-4 weeks. He is out of his boot and shooting around, so that's a good sign.

Thabo plays good D on his guy, but you get so little production out of him on offense it is kind of a wash, even taking into account that you don't need offense from every position when Durant and Westbrook are on the court. Harden is way better than Thabo overall. It was frustrating last year when Thabo would eat into Harden's time. I assume those days are done now. If Thabo sends Ivey to the bench it will be great for OKC to get him back.

I know it has worked and you can't argue with production, but I also think some of the very close Thunder games (of which there were many) wouldn't have been so close with a better 4th quater lineup. I mean they basically just let Durant handle the whole opposing offense in the closing minutes, it sure would be better to do that with an additional defensive stopper on the defensive end

It doesn't matter to me whether he's playing the 3 or the 4(although I as a coach I wouldn't want him guarding the 4, unless it's Boris Diaw, lol) but I would like to see him in the high post a bit more. This season it seems like their focusing on letting Durant run the offense a bit more, which is why Westbrook's assist are down, but his scoring is up. And also why Durant is averaging a career high in turnovers. I'd love to see Durant mold his game into a Dirk Nowitzki-like guy that can kill you with the midrange jumpshot, and he clearly has the ability to do so. And he would be even more deadly because he would be able to put it on the floor and drive the hoop. But credit the Thunder staff for improving his all around game, cause I was reading a week or two ago that their ultimate goal is to get his assists up to 5. And his handles are already tighter than before. It'll be a great playoff race, and not only that, hopefully we'll see some more of him at Rucker Park, lol.

KD can defend the 4 and against the Cavs is actually a favorable matchup against Tristian and Antwan. Its not like its the first time Durant has played in the paint. He's versatile. The only problem I see is having royal Ivey on the court....why is he still on the roster?